


Daniel's Story

by AcidBlossom



Series: Daniel's Redemption [1]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Backstory, Blood, Childhood Trauma, Cults, Delusions, Gen, Happy Ending, Headcanon Backstory, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced CSA, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Manipulation, Murder, Poisoning, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 22:08:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12757116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcidBlossom/pseuds/AcidBlossom
Summary: This is the story of how Daniel was put on the path of a cultist.And how he was able to break away.





	1. Danny Goes To Camp Campbell

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo here's something I never thought I'd write. I thought my first Camp Camp fic would be a cute little MaxPres thing. But instead, it's...this.
> 
> So when I watched first Camp Camp, I did not like Daniel. At all. Since he, you know, tried to murder children.
> 
> But then some, uh, stuff happened and skitten219 (who beta read this story btw <3) and I discussed a possible backstory for Daniel and how he turned out the way he did, and then...this happened. And now I love this man. Or at least this version of him. Idk.
> 
> I've never written anything quite like this before. And I'm like...really really proud of this one?? Idk why I just am.
> 
> Enjoy <3

Little Danny was always alone.

His father was a preacher who gave more time to his church than his family. His mother had a job that demanded lots of travelling. He was shy, so he didn’t have any friends at school. When the other kids played together, he would usually find a place to hide and be alone with his thoughts. He wished he had a companion, something or someone to make him happy.

One summer, his mother had to go on a long trip for her job, and his father was going to be very busy too. Since there was no one to look after him, Danny was going to be sent to a special place called Camp Campbell.

Upon arrival, Danny was instantly met with the happiest time of his life. The other kids there were so nice, as were the grown-ups. They gave him lots of attention and played with him. Danny never experienced something like that before.

The person who gave him the most attention was the leader of the camp, Mr. Campbell. He was strong and kind and fun, the exact kind of person Danny wished his father was like. He wished he could leave his old home behind and just stay here to live with Mr. Campbell forever.

Then one day, Mr. Campbell took Danny aside and made a very special request: “Tonight, after everyone goes to sleep, I’m going to take you somewhere very special. Every year, I always pick one camper to come here, and I’ve decided it’s going to be you.”

Danny was so excited to hear those words. He felt so special. This place must have been somewhere wonderful and magical. He was super eager for the rest of the day and into the night.

After everyone was asleep in their tents, Danny sneaked out and met with Mr. Campbell by the shore of Lake Lilac. They got in a boat and headed to a mysterious island in the middle. There was a big house there.

“What’s that, Mr. Campbell?” Danny asked with curiosity.

“That’s where I would spend my summers,” Mr. Campbell explained. “Before I founded the camp. I still enjoy spending time there, especially with my favorite campers.”

Danny bounced with excitement. He was a favorite! Something super special must have been waiting in that house for him.

Well, there was certainly a surprise for him in there.

But it wasn’t a good one.

It was bad. It was scary. It was painful.

He cried and cried. He tried not to, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“Jesus fucking Christ, none of them have ever cried as much as you are,” Mr. Campbell said after it was all over. He sounded grumpy. He had a weird looking stick in his mouth that was letting out smoke.

“Why…why did you do this to me?” Danny wailed. “I…You…You’re a bad man! My dad says people who hurt kids go to Hell!”

“Shit,” Mr. Campbell rubbed his forehead. “Okay, uh…Say, Danny, your dad says a lot of stuff about God and Jesus and all that jazz, right?”

Danny wiped his eyes with his bare arm and nodded.

“Well, I hate to break it to you, but…he’s a liar.”

“N-No he’s not, he-”

“Danny, listen,” Mr. Campbell put his big hands on Danny’s bare shoulders, rubbing them in a weird way. “There’s no Jesus. There’s no Heaven. There’s only, uh…Xemug.”

“Xemug?”

Mr. Campbell told him of the terrifying space god Xemug who was responsible for mankind’s existence. Apparently, He and Mr. Campbell were very close and spoke to each other directly.

“Xemug is the one who told me to do this to the best campers, Danny,” Mr. Campbell said. “And those who reject Xemug after learning of His existence get punished.”

“H-How?” Danny whimpered.

“He’ll haunt your dreams every single night for years and years. And if that isn’t enough, He starts to sprinkle dark toxins down on you that make you sad and in pain forever. You don’t want that, do you?”

“No! No, I don’t!” Danny shrieked, hiding his face in his hands and starting to cry all over again.

Mr. Campbell smiled. “Then don’t tell anyone about this, and accept Xemug as your god now.”

Danny nodded obediently.

Mr. Campbell chuckled, as if he were amused by Danny’s response. Danny figured he was pleased with him.

Every week for the remainder of camp, Mr. Campbell took Danny to his summer home for more “surprises.” Danny begged Mr. Campbell to tell him more about Xemug and the truth of existence, but the man refused to say anything more on the matter.

Danny left Camp Campbell at the end of summer feeling very confused.

He arrived at his house, and his parents were waiting for him at the front porch with big smiles.

“Welcome home, Danny!” they said.

Danny.

 _Danny_.

When they said that name, he heard it in that voice. Mr. Campbell’s voice.

He froze in his tracks. His body suddenly started hurting. His mind screamed.

“Danny?” his father repeated.

“Um…can you call me Daniel from now on, please?” he asked, hoping his voice wasn’t shaking so much.

“Oh my goodness!” his mother laughed jovially. She gave him a big hug. “You’re so grown up now, aren’t you?”

He forced a laugh. “I sure am.”

Little Daniel was confused about many things now.

But he was certain of one thing.

He was never going back to Camp Campbell ever again, no matter what.


	2. Birth of a Cultist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you guys think? Cameron planting the seed in Xemug in Daniel's head, and Daniel being so traumatized and vulnerable he just straight up believed it all?
> 
> Cameron's summer home implies that he's into some fucked up stuff, and I wouldn't be surprised if he really was involved in a cult at some point (cult leaders are pretty rich...), but it's also within his character to straight up lie about stuff like this to a child. A lot of Cameron's portrayal in this story is reliant on personal headcanon, but like...lying to children is basically his entire character. I also considered Daniel being born into a cult, or Cameron genuinely being the head of some big secret Scientology-like cult thing, but...I'm gonna go with this.

No one ever spoke of Xemug.

No one else acted like Mr. Campbell.

Daniel was confused about the world. He didn’t understand why he seemed to be the only other one in the world who knew about these dark secrets. More and more questions grew in his head as he grew older. What was real? What was beyond the grasp of humanity’s understanding? What was the true god?

He stopped believing in his father’s sermons. He wasn’t open about this, of course; he just remained silent and let his mind wonder as his father spoke of what now seemed like pure fiction.

In seventh grade, he heard the word “cult” for the first time.

He looked up it on the internet and became engrossed in information about them. Peoples Temple and Heaven’s Gate especially fascinated him. In both of those cults, all of the members, including the leaders, committed suicide to ascend to the god they believed in.

Did Xemug want people to do that too?

Did Mr. Campbell have a secret cult? Was Xemug a part of that?

Years went by. He studied hard in college. He majored in theology and learned as much as he could about other faiths. He also studied things such as philosophy, sociology, psychology, biology, astronomy, and anything he thought could possibly help him realize the truth.

Mr. Campbell gave him very little information about his cult.

So Daniel decided to make his own.

He took as many elements as he could from about every religion and cult he had ever studied and formed his gospel. He wrote a manifesto testifying to what he now considered his solidified, true beliefs. Of course, he couldn’t share these documents yet. Not with anyone he knew, anyway. Everyone was a Bible thumper where he lived; they’d never listen to him.

He hated to keep his beliefs hidden. He hated being the only one who knew about any of this.

He hated Cameron Campbell.

That man ruined him. Ruined his body, ruined his faith, ruined his mind. Daniel wanted to go back to his life before the truth was breached to him. _Before he was touched like that_.

By now, Daniel was in his twenties. He understood exactly what Campbell had done to him all those years ago. He tried to repress those awful memories, but since it had been what set him on his journey to his faith, his brain wouldn’t allow it.

He figured that the man planted false information in his mind. “Xemug is the one who told me to do this to the best campers, Danny,” he had said. That was bullshit. Xemug would never let such a horrible, negative thing happen. He would never have approved of that man tainting Daniel’s body.

Every day of his life, he felt dirty for having faced that horrible event. He tried to be clean. He took three hour long showers where he would scrub every part of himself until it started to hurt. Sometimes he would even take bleach baths. He wore white clothes every day and went out of his way to keep them totally spotless. There wasn’t a single blemish on him anywhere at any time. Yet he felt disgusting. He prayed to Xemug and the rest of the Galactic Federation to lift up the dark toxins that had permanently sullied his body.

He didn’t want to think about what had happened to him. He didn’t want to think about that disgusting man. He didn’t want to think about all the awfulness in the world.

He didn’t want to think.

He just wanted to be okay.

That was how the concept of the Purification Sauna came about. A place for people to enter and have all the filthiness removed as a speaker played messages of assurance and comfort. It would make everything feel better.

He couldn’t build it here, though. Not without raising questions.

He needed to get out. He needed to start _doing_ things.

He left his hometown, cutting off contact with his parents and everyone he had ever known, and found a new place.

It was quaint little town with less than three hundred residents. There wasn’t a single church in sight.

Perfect.

He started with the children; they were the easiest. He would gather them all around the patch of land where they would all play together. They were too naïve to not talk to a stranger like him. The older ones who knew better were a little harder to win over, but he still managed to lure them in with some homemade cupcakes and cookies. They listened intently to his stories and messages as they nibbled on their baked treats. They willingly helped him build the first Purification Sauna and were the first ones to step inside it.

They persuaded their parents to try it. The parents persuaded their friends, and word spread more and more. Soon Daniel had the entire town in the palm of his hand.

After two weeks, he decided that their time had come. They were worthy of ascension.

He created a concoction of Kool Aid and rat poison, an elixir that would let them reach Xemug and the Ancient Ones.

They drank it, and they ascended.

Daniel was so happy for them. He wanted to join them.

Despite his success, he always felt horrible. The sauna did nothing for him; he used it dozens of times and always left it feeling even worse. He wanted to believe that he was worthy of ascension. He wanted to believe that he was good and pure, the right amount of purity Xemug desired. But he couldn’t believe it. He felt disgusting every moment he was alive. He wanted to be removed from this world.

But not yet. There was still work to be done.

He abandoned the town and moved on to a summer camp. They were looking to hire a new counselor, so he applied. They weren’t quite as trusting. Only a few of the kids were on his side at first, and they helped him construct the sauna. Everyone else was stubborn, so he had to force them to use it. Two days later, they had ascended.

After abandoning that camp, he laid low in the area around Sleepy Peak. He knew authorities were probably on the hunt for him. He honestly didn’t care about going to jail and being a martyr for what he believed in. What he did care about was reuniting with one particular person before he let that happen.

He needed to go somewhere that he never thought he’d go back to. He didn’t want to go, but it was where he had to be to complete his final mission as a soldier of Xemug.

And then one day, after a week of hiding, he found his chance in a newspaper.

“Help Wanted: Camp Campbell.”


	3. Daniel and David

Thank Xemug for David.

He was so kind and trusting. He was the exact type of person Daniel needed everyone to be like. He didn’t think about bad things; they didn’t even register with him. Daniel couldn’t help but be amused by his naivety. It was kind of cute.

He wished the same could be said for the kids. Only Space Kid and Nurf bought into his messages right away. Thankfully once the sauna was built, he quickly had all the rest under his control, even the rebellious Max.

Yet David still managed to get in his way.

“ _I…think I might be better than you!_ ”

It struck a nerve in him. It provoked frustration in him. Frustration is a bad thing, but he didn’t bother to suppress it. He decided to put David in his place. David seemed good and pure on the outside, but he could tell there was filth in him. Daniel was filthy too, but at least he was trying to get himself pure. David remained naïve to all the dark forces at work, or was at least trying to pretend that it didn’t exist. What a lazy way of existing, Daniel thought. Not to mention, Daniel was the one who could get kids under his control with hardly any effort, whilst David kept trying in vain.

David was inferior. David was as far from worthy of ascension as anyone could possibly get.

Yet David kept fighting him off.

It distracted him.

Distracted him to the point where he accidentally drank his own Kool Aid.

Daniel panicked at first as he writhed on the ground, pain filling his insides. But then he decided that it wouldn’t be so bad. Perhaps Xemug decided he wasn’t the one meant to rid the world of Cameron Campbell. Perhaps he really was worthy of ascension. Xemug did know best after all. Daniel smiled like a maniac. Finally, he was going to see Him, after so many years of studying and cleansing and perfecting himself.

Then he was loaded into the ambulance.

He was saved. But not in the way he wanted to be.

David apparently gave the hospital a fake name and explanation as how he ended up there. Daniel played along. He had to, if he wanted to get out of here without alerting anyone.

After a two week stay, he was cleared to go. When he walked out the doors, David was standing there, smiling as wide as ever.

“Long time no see, Daniel!” he beamed. “Glad to see you’ve made a full recovery!”

Daniel started at him for a moment before plastering on his own smile. “Thanks, David! Sure was a close one there!”

“Well, hop in the ol’ Camp-mobile! I’d like to take you back the camp for a bit!”

David was seriously letting him come back? This meant he either had some kind of plan or he was just really, really stupid.

The drove in silence for two hours. Though they were both smiling, Daniel could feel the tension in the air. He knew was something was going to go down soon.

Then David pulled over at a small clearing a few miles away from the camp.

“I recognized you.”

Daniel looked at him. “Pardon me?”

“In some old files. I’ve seen the paperwork and pictures of campers that had come the year before I did. You were one of them.” David’s voice gets quieter. “There was a star next to your name. You were a favorite of his, weren’t you?”

Daniel looked away from him. The tone of those words was soft, yet they felt like knives cutting deep into his soul and let it bleed painful memories. “Why would you ask me something that?” he asked darkly. He couldn’t even pretend to smile now.

“Because I know what it was like.”

He looked back at him, his eyes wide with instantaneous shock.

David was looking down. He was still smiling. “I mean…it wasn’t me, at first. The first favorite of that year was Jasper. He was so fun and nice. But at one point, he started acting a bit more anxious than usual. Two weeks later, he disappeared. Mr. Campbell needed a new favorite. And he picked me.” He laughed weakly. “And he picked me again the next year too. After that, I guess he was tired of me, so he picked someone else every year afterward. I was always able to tell who it was, though. He’s stopped doing it all together, now that he’s usually absent…thank God.”

 “But…he was the one who told me about Xemug. He was the one who led me to the path I’ve been following to this day. Why aren’t you like me?”

“He wanted to make sure you kept quiet about what he did to you. To me, he said I had to keep silent or I’d end up like Jasper. I think that may have been the truth, though. But whether it was the truth or a lie, he always said something different to every kid.”

Daniel’s world shattered.

It made up too much logical sense for Campbell to use that kind of lie. He took advantage of the fact that religion had played a big part in Daniel’s childhood, the childhood he was robbed of that fateful night. He took advantage of Daniel’s weakened, vulnerable state after what had happened. He really did take advantage of him in every single way.

He should have realized that years ago. Or maybe he did realize it, but he was too deep into his beliefs to register it in his mind.

His body started shaking.

So many emotions he had been trying to purge himself of started to rise inside him.

 “I…built my whole life…around what he said to me that day…” he choked out. “I built my life upon a lie. A fucking lie…”

David gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Daniel slapped it away.

“Don’t touch me,” he snapped, hiding his face in his hands. “I…I’m so…impure…broken…”

“I’m broken too, Daniel,” David whispered. “Everyone who has ever set foot in Camp Campbell is a little bit broken.”

“Then why do you stay at that damned place?”

“Stockholm Syndrome, maybe?” David chuckled quietly. “Ever since I was a kid, I wanted Mr. Campbell to be the father I never had. I knew deep down that he couldn’t care less about me, but I kept coming back for him. But these days, the kids that are there now need me. I keep coming back for them. I want them to be happy. I want them to have real happiness, and not have to fake it every day like I do.”

“Why are you doing this to me?!” Daniel exclaimed. “Why am I even here with you?! I’m just as bad as him at this point. No, I’m even worse! I’ve murdered hundreds of people! I was going to do the same thing to the kids you care about for the sake of some stupid sci-fi god! You should be trying to have me arrested!”

“Mr. Campbell has a body count of his own,” David said, hardly a trace of emotion in his voice. “You are a bad person, Daniel; I can’t pretend that you’re not. But it isn’t your fault that you’re bad. He hurt you, and he hurt me too. I feel so awful for you, and I think I know what you wanted to do to make it feel all right. And I want to support you with that.” His forest green eyes had a knowing look in them.

He knew that Daniel wanted to get rid of that man.

“Are…are you really okay with that?” Daniel asked hesitantly.

David nodded silently.


	4. Daniel's Mission

Daniel was confined to a tent David had set up a couple miles away from the camp for three days. He had to stay there, for there was no way he could show his face at the camp yet. How he was supposed to face the ten children he nearly killed? How would they react to him? He didn’t want to know.

David arranged the perfect day. He got ahold of Mr. Campbell and convinced him there was a matter of importance for him to attend to dire enough to summon him from Thailand. That same day, Gwen and the campers were to have a field trip to a museum the next town over from Sleepy Peak. They would be gone most of the day.

It would just be David, Daniel, and Mr. Campbell.

David brought Daniel to the camp after the bus containing Gwen and the kids was gone. Daniel looked around hesitantly. He couldn’t help but feel afraid, but he wasn’t quite sure why.

David put a hand on his shoulder. Daniel fought the urge to slap it away.

“I’ll be in the mess hall,” David said in a quiet tone. “When he comes, do whatever you have to do.”

Daniel nodded. “Okay…Thank you, David. Thank you for this opportunity.”

David gave him a small smile before walking away.

Another hour passed by. Daniel was waiting it out in silence. Soon, a helicopter could be viewed from the sky, it’s propeller loud and stirring up strong artificial winds. Daniel scurried behind the mess hall, keeping himself out of view. With him he had a satchel of materials he’d need, and in his hand was a cup of freshly made special Kool Aid.

A rope ladder was rolled down to the ground from the helicopter. Mr. Campbell climbed down it and planted his feet firmly on the grassy ground. He smoothed out some wrinkles in his clothes, muttering to himself as the helicopter departed. Then he looked around the camp in silence. He visibly grew more confused at the area’s emptiness.

“Davey?” he called out. “Gregoria? Kids? _Anyone_?”

Daniel spoke, “They’re not here sir. It’s just me.”

Mr. Campbell looked towards his direction.

That was his cue to come out. He came out of hiding and began to walk towards him.

“W-Who the Hell are you?!” Mr. Campbell

Daniel froze before smiling. “Why, Mr. Campbell, don’t you remember me? I figured you would, after the time we spent together…”

Campbell gave him a stern look for a moment before his eyes went wide. “ _Danny_?”

It had been so long since he had heard that nickname, yet the horrible feelings it induced felt exactly as it did before.

“Yes, sir! Aren’t you glad to see me?”

“Why are you here? Where’s Davey?”

“Now’s not the time for questions, Mr. Campbell.” Daniel held out the cup of purple Kool Aid. “Here, have a drink! You must be parched after all that travelling!”

Campbell hesitantly took the cup. He sniffed the drink and his eyes went wide. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“You know it!” Daniel tackled Campbell and sent him down to the grass.

The cup of Kool Aid spilled to the ground, but that didn’t matter in the least. Daniel quickly pulled a bottle of the substance out of the satchel and opened it as quickly as he could. Cameron began to sit up in an attempt to lunge at him, but Daniel’s reflexes were too quick. He grabbed Campbell by the throat and squeezed tight, pushing him back and holding the bottle to his lips.

“Drink up, now,” he chuckled.

Campbell began to struggle more and more as the Kool Aid flowed into his mouth. His eyes grew wide with terror. Soon, three fourths of the bottle were gone. Daniel tossed it aside and let go of the man’s throat.

Campbell put one hand to his throat and the other to his stomach. He began to cough hard. He was feeling the poison taking effect.

It was time for the next step.

Daniel took out a knife from the satchel.

The first place he stabbed him was in the groin.

Campbell’s whole body tensed up before he threw his head back and he screamed. Daniel laughed. Next, he slit his throat from ear to ear. It was a technique that wouldn’t kill the man right away; it would let him bleed slowly. He could just slice his jugular and let him bleed out all at once, but that would make this end all too quickly.

“I bet that hurts a lot, doesn’t it? Does it hurt, Mr. Campbell?” Daniel asked him, grinning wide as ever as he lifted the knife high. “Well, it can’t possibly hurt that much. After all, what you did to me, David, Jasper, and so many others _hurt so much more_!”

He then proceeded to stab him over and over in the stomach and chest as many times as he could. The man was getting weaker and weaker. He couldn’t even scream anymore

There was so much blood now. It was starting to get on Daniel’s clothes. He didn’t care.

Seeing that man suffer so much now felt blissful.

It felt so divine. It felt so orgasmic.

Daniel stopped stabbing.

He watched the man struggle to cling to the last bit of life.

He began to laugh. It was the loudest, hardiest laugh that he ever produced in his life. He couldn’t help it; he was enjoying it too much. He didn’t realize how long he was doing it, for by the time he stopped to breathe, Cameron Campbell was dead.

The camp was nearly silent.

Daniel looked up around slowly.

The sky was blue without a single cloud. The summer sun was shining. The breeze was gentle. The trees around the area were a lush green. The wildlife could be heard in the distance.

It was a beautiful day.

The world was always beautiful.

He could have had a good life here.

Hundreds of people could have had a good life here. But he made them ascend to a plain of higher existence that didn’t even exist.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, hoping the spirits of the innocents he killed could hear him, wherever they were.

The blood all over him felt so hot and wet. He felt so disgusting, but yet so comforted. He was glad to have that man’s blood on his body at last, after longing for it for so long.

He walked quietly to the mess hall. He stepped inside and found David standing by a table.

“He’s gone?” He looked a little startled, likely from the sight of the blood.

“Yeah. I did it.”

“Okay. What are you going to do now?”

Daniel gave him a smile. “Turn myself in, of course!”

David’s eyes went wide. “W-What?”

“I’m a fucking insane serial mass murderer! And the man I’ve been living to get revenge on is dead! Not to mention, everything I’ve been believing in for years has been a lie! There’s nothing else left for me, and I’m too afraid to off myself, so it’s best to just let myself get caught and get on death row!” Daniel laughed. If he wasn’t sentenced to death for his crimes, he would be very surprised and very disappointed.

“You…you don’t have to do that.”

“Of course I do! I’m a bad man, David! It doesn’t matter if he’s the one who made me turn out like this. It doesn’t matter if I thought I was doing something good. They were my crimes! I manipulated and murdered people! You can’t suddenly pretend that didn’t happen and shower me in pity like I’m some misguided child!”

“I know what you did was bad!” David screamed, tears running down his face. “I…I know I said that you were a bad person in the car, but…I really don’t want to think that. We…we both suffered because of him. We both suffered for so long. But there was still good in me, so there must be some good in you too. This camp gave me something to live for, and maybe it can do the same for you. I…I want you to stay here, Daniel. I want to protect you. We can keep you hidden from law enforcements here. The Quartermaster can probably do something about Mr. Campbell’s body. We can make this work.”

Daniel shook his head. “You’re so naïve, David. I…I just can’t. The campers probably hate me. I was so close to taking them all away from you. Even if I didn’t succeed, that alone should be unforgiveable to you.”

“No. The only unforgivable one around here is Mr. Campbell. I’ll convince the kids and Gwen that you won’t hurt them again, because I trust that you won’t. I know you won’t hurt anyone ever again. Even if it’s just for a little while, let me give you some happiness here. Please?”

He wanted to say yes. He wanted to say yes so badly.

He didn’t want to face prison. He didn’t want to die.

But what he wanted didn’t matter. He deserved to suffer for his crimes; it was as simple as that. “David, I…I really can’t. I-”

All of a sudden, he was in David’s arms.

He couldn’t remember the last time someone had hugged him, or at least the last time someone hugged him and he didn’t feel the urge to push them away.

“Please, Daniel,” David whispered. “Let me help you.”

Daniel’s body began to tremble. David’s body was so warm. Despite his lanky figure, his embrace was strong. Daniel was surprised by the feeling, but he was even more surprised by the emotions that suddenly hit him all at once.

He felt safe.

He felt safe. He felt safe. He felt safe.

No lies. No manipulation. No convincing himself.

It was the truth. He felt safe. He was safe.

The reality he always knew was now in fragments. He no longer had Xemug to believe in. He no longer had the fear and hatred of Cameron Campbell to rule his life. He longer had anything. Camp Campbell was all that was left. Its doors were wide open, even to a sinful wretch like him. Even though he knew that, no matter what David said, he really didn’t deserve a second chance from them.

What would become of him without this camp? Even if he did get death row for his crimes, he would likely have to wait in a jail cell for years before it was finally his turn to die. And even then, knowing how fucked the justice system is these days, it was possible that he would just face life in prison, stuck there forever to suffer with his thoughts.

He didn’t want it. This bit of mercy from David was his only chance to stay away from that.

His eyes began to water.

His arms shakily wrapped around David’s body as he weakly returned the embrace.

He hadn’t let himself cry since the last time Campbell had hurt him.

“Help me…” he sobbed. “Please…please, help me…I’m so scared…” He buried his face in David’s shoulder and let himself cry and cry, letting out all the feelings he had forced himself to hide for so long.

“You’re okay,” David hushed him. “It’s gonna be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO
> 
> This was originally supposed to end with David letting Daniel turning himself in and it was supposed to be a really bittersweet ending with Daniel sobbing with happiness as he's arrested. But then Skitten and I talked some more about stuff and we decided he should have a happy ending. It felt weird to write it at first but now I'm so into it idk how to explain it.


	5. A Small Step

“David, are you absolutely sure this is okay?” Daniel could hear Gwen’s voice from outside the kitchen. “It’s never too late to call the cops.”

His hands shook as he frosted the last cupcake. He carefully placed it on the tray with the others, but he kept on shaking. The fear of getting kicked out was strong. After all, all of the campers were either terrified or livid when they saw him again for the first time in over a month. Even Space Kid was afraid of him. Three days had passed since then, and they still remained unconvinced that he was trying to turn a new leaf.

That was why he made them these special hypoallergenic vanilla cupcakes for them for dessert, hoping to win their approval without any brainwashing or lying. Even if the kids rejected them, Daniel could at least say some good came out of it. He liked baking them; it was the first time he made any sort of item for consumption without malicious intent. It   helped him take mind off of the issues at hand.

But now he was hearing the two counselors just a few paces away talking about him. The fears were trying to creep back into him.

Then he heard David. “Please, Gwen. I understand why you’re struggling with accepting him. I’m gonna be honest…I don’t completely want to do this either. But this is still so important to me. I really want to help him, and I can’t do it alone. I promise you, the moment he even attempts to harm anyone, he’s out in a jiffy. But for now, at least try to trust him.”

Gwen sighed. “Alright. If you really say so.”

Daniel took a few deep breaths to calm himself before spreading some rainbow sprinkles on the cupcakes. They were just about ready now. He brushed some flour off his new uniform; blue jeans and the green Campbell Counselor signature t-shirt.

It was going to be okay.

He brought the tray of twelve cupcakes out and set it beside a tray containing ten more on a table at the back of the mess hall. He picked up two and brought them to David and Gwen, who both looked surprised at the gesture.

“I thought you two would like a sample,” he said, hoping he didn’t seem too nervous.

David beamed as he accepted his. “Oh, Daniel! How thoughtful of you!”

Gwen remained hesitant, giving hers a look of suspicion as she took it. “Yeah, thanks.”

The counselors took their first bites of the cupcakes. In an instant, their eyes grew huge and they both grinned wide.

“This…is really fucking good,” Gwen said, starting to grin a little.

“They…are?” Daniel gasped, watching as they quickly ate the rest of them.

David nodded vigorously, seeming happier than ever. “It’s so yummy, Daniel! You made it so well!”

“T-Thank you both.”

Gwen wiped the crumbs from around her mouth. “I’m gonna go get the kids. Be right back.” She quickly left the mess hall, leaving Daniel and David alone.

Daniel started to shake one more as he felt the nerves starting to bubble back up. He knew that some cupcakes wouldn’t be enough to win the favor of the campers. They would probably still hate him. They would probably hate him forever.

Suddenly, he felt David’s arms around him in a tight, comforting hug. “It’s gonna be okay,” he heard him whisper.

Daniel took a deep breath. It was gonna be okay.

At least he hoped it would be.

The kids were silent as they slowly at their dinners. Their eyes occasionally darted from the cupcakes at the back table to Daniel. The tension in the room was heavy.

Eventually, the campers finished their meals. It was time for dessert.

“Okay, kiddos!” David announced. “Now it’s time for your dessert, made especially for you by our new friend, Daniel!” He and Gwen passed out a cupcake to each of the campers, each one staring at theirs blankly, apprehension in their eyes.

“David, do you seriously expect us to eat food made by someone who tried to fucking poison us?” Max asked.

“Oh, Max,” David laughed, clearly forcing it. “It’s completely harmless. You’ll like it if you try it.”

Nikki picked up hers and gave it a sniff. “It seems safe to me, Max.”

Max rolled his eyes. “You say that about anything that’s even remotely edible.”

This was hopeless. These kids were never going to trust him, and Daniel was okay with that. “It’s okay, David,” he said, struggling to keep his smile up. “They don’t have to eat them if they don’t want to..."

“No.” Everyone flinched and turned to look at David. His tone was the sternest it had ever been. “Kids, you need to give Daniel a chance. I’m not asking you to, I’m _telling_ you. You don’t have to fully trust him yet, but at least be a little nice to him. And you can start by trying those cupcakes he worked so hard on.”

The room was quiet again.  Everyone seemed stunned into silence and stillness for what felt like forever. Daniel couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the quietness. It was showing just how unwelcome he was here. He backed into a corner of the mess hall, hidden by shadows. David gave him a brief sad look before looking back at the campers.

Finally, Nikki took a small bite of her cupcake. She chewed and swallowed quickly. The other children observed with wide eyes, as if they were expecting her to drop dead at any moment. But instead, she stuffed the rest of her cupcake into her mouth and devoured it in two seconds flat.

She looked at David with a huge grin. “Can I have another?”

David smiled at her. “Of course you can, Nikki! Daniel made enough so everyone can have seconds!”

Nikki bounced in her seat as Gwen delivered a second cupcake to her, Max and Neil staring at her. Daniel was staring too, from his corner, his heart pounding. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. She ate the whole thing in one big bite as soon as it was in front of her.

One by one, the other campers took a small taste of their cupcakes before eating them up. They all looked pleased. The only exception was Max, who acted as if there wasn’t even one in front of him to begin with.

“If you guys kill over in the next hour, it’s your own faults,” he said to everyone in the room.

“Max,” David said softly. “I know you don’t trust Daniel yet, and that’s fine. But he really is trying to change. I promise you, this is completely okay. I would never let you guys do something I didn’t think was safe.”

Max sighed heavily. “Fine.” He slowly took the cupcake in his hands and took a cautious bite. He swallowed it quickly. His expression didn’t change. He took another bite silently.

David smiled a little. “Well?”

“It…” Max looked down at the floor. “It’s good. I guess.”

“I told you it was okay, silly!” David chuckled, ruffling up Max’s hair.

Daniel felt like he was about to pass out from pure surprise. All of the campers had liked his cupcakes! It felt like a miracle. But at the same time, he knew it didn’t mean much aside that they enjoyed his baking.

That didn’t mean they enjoyed him.

David stood next to him and gave him a smile. “How are you feeling?” he asked quietly.

Daniel managed to smile back, although it was weak. “A…a bit relieved, I guess. I’m happy they liked what I made. I’m not sure if they’re opinion of me is going to change much, though.”

David put a hand on his shoulder. “Just give them some more time; they’ll come around. Besides, this is one step closer to them accepting you. It’s a tiny step, but it’s still a step.”

Daniel hadn’t thought of it like that. His smile widened with sincerity. “You’re right.”

It was a small step. And maybe tomorrow there would be another small step. And another and another until it would all be completely okay. It would take some time, but it would be worth it.

It would be okay.

He would be okay.

He was already okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END
> 
> I hope guys like it <3 There will be a sequel. About Daniel dealing with PTSD. And him befriending the campers and Gwen. And possibly Danvid happening. Idk when I'll start it though. I got a lot of things to focus on atm.
> 
> See ya~


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